Fulong Temple Introduction
The history of Fulong Temple in Kehuli, Zhudong Township dates back to the Daoguang period of the Qing Dynasty, specifically in the 14th year of Daoguang (1834). During this time, the Tamsui "Tongzhi" (Li Siyan) was authorized to support the development of the southeastern mountainous area of Zhuqian by Guangdong native Jiang Xiuluan, who engaged in farming. The government provided 1,000 taels of silver for this purpose, and a Fujianese individual named Zhou Bangzheng, also involved in this venture, helped raise funds from the people of Fujian and Guangdong, forming twenty-four groups to carry out joint cultivation efforts, known as “Jinguangfu” and “Kanhao." The Jiang and Zhou families led their respective households. The "Jin" refers to government resources, "Guang" to Guangdong people, and "Fu" to Fujian people, who collaborated in farming efforts. At that time, the Kehuli area was surrounded by mountains, forming a central basin dense with forests. The indigenous people had the high ground, making it easy to defend but hard to attack, and the surrounding lowlands hindered incursions into Kehuli. Instead, they attacked via Sanjiao City, a small locality called "Xiaoxian Cai, Xiaoweng," advancing into the Shuqilin Fan community. That night, the indigenous people saw three kings descending from the sky with soldiers, causing panic and resulting in their retreat without a fight. An elderly woman was left behind near the Wangye Temple in the Fan community. It is believed that the Han people, upon entering Kehuli, learned from the legends that it was the Three Mountain Kings who manifested their powers here, leading to the construction of a simple temple to worship them, named “Wangye Temple." The remaining land from the Zhou Garden was jointly decided by the Jiang and Zhou families and farming groups, which could not be divided and was instead used for the maintenance of the Wangye Temple, designated as "Wangye Tasting." During the Japanese occupation, it was referred to as the temple's public business "Wangye Tasting." Han people began cultivating rice paddies and farmland in Kehuli, as the area was fertile, surrounded by mountains, and shielded from seasonal winds, with a clear creek flowing, resulting in abundant crops, peace, and thriving livestock. This led to a population increase due to divine protection. There were no constructed roads from Zhuqian City to Shuqilin (now Hsinchu to Zhudong), but a cart road connected Zhuqian City to Kehuli. A transfer station was set up at Wangye Temple to open "Dai Ai," which is now Beipu and Emei areas, transporting necessary materials manually from Shangdali to Beipu. Thus, there were butcher shops and general stores during the prosperous period. In the 21st year of Guangxu (1895), in June, Japanese troops invaded Zhuqian City. The Kehuli area organized land taxes and soldiers to resist. A "Ailiao" was built on the seventh neighbor mountain for day and night defense, now known as Aichatu. A night watch was set up opposite the Wangye Temple on the mountain, now called Gengliaotu. The Japanese troops, resentful of Han resistance, invaded Kehuli and set fire to the Wangye Temple and surrounding villages, destroying them. After the turmoil, in the 23rd year of Guangxu (1897), May saw public calls for donations to rebuild the Wangye Temple, which was constructed with earthen bricks, consisting of five main halls and six horizontal buildings. By the 23rd year of the Republic of China (1934), on the 25th day of the first month, the statue of the Three Mountain King was repaired. In May of that year, the Three Mountain King manifested for the second time to save the people from suffering, attracting thousands of worshippers seeking elixirs and water daily. Following Taiwan's restoration, by the 35th year of the Republic of China, the temple was renamed Fulong Temple. Subjected to wind and rain, the earthen brick structure became dilapidated and leaky. In the 70th year of the Republic of China (1981), there was a public initiative for reconstruction, and the first management committee was established that year to oversee temple affairs, resulting in significant renovations. On March 24, 79th year of the Republic of China (1990), the temple group traveled to the mainland, visiting the Meizhou Matsu Temple, Nanputuo Temple, and Hepon Lin Temple in Jiexi County, along with the ancestral temple of the Three Mountain Kings, for pilgrimage and prayer, bringing back a censer of the "Three Kings’ Wives" to honor the temple. On November 27 of that year, a five-day celebration and ritual was held to pray for favorable weather, national prosperity, and public safety.
